If you want a sweet, feel-good read with a heartfelt message and a loveable cast of characters to root for, look no further than ‘Wish I Were Here’. A perfect read for when you need an uplifting story. Highly recommend. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

3.5 stars

This book was a little underwhelming for me, but overall enjoyable. I had a really hard time connecting with the romance element between Luca and Cat and could not fully understand why they were supposed to be romantically involved. As the story progressed, things between them became sweeter, but that was really towards the last 40% of the book. I did like both characters and enjoyed Cat's growth throughout the story, but I wished for more about Luca's backstory earlier on. It was a nice, simple read with themes around growing up, control, found/formed family, and choices. The Morelli network was probably my favorite part and Uncle Vito was my favorite character.

Grumpy heroine, Sunshine hero with a touch of the supernatural, lots of likable characters (and a couple very unlikable characters).

Bottom line: In spite of what feels like a critical review, I liked this book, and because I stayed up WAY too late reading it, I figured I should bump it up from a "like" at 3 stars to a 3.5, rounded to 4 stars. If you aren't a fan of magical realism/supernatural, I'd still give this a try as it plays a very minor role in the book.

Catherine frustrated me for most of the book. It makes sense that she's so intent on being organized and responsible given her father. But, she makes so many completely unexamined assumptions about people: if someone is charming (ie, Luka), then they must also be totally irresponsible and unreliable (and therefore someone who shouldn't be in her life); if someone appears responsible, then they must be trustworthy and reliable (and someone she should want in her life). She holds onto these assumptions even after ample evidence suggests she should reconsider.

The book starts with Catherine feeling tired of always having to be responsible and never being able to relax and have fun, so she wishes she could be "no one", which is sort of a weird way of wording that wish. This apparently results in her social security number disappearing from the system, which leads to her having to scramble so she won't lose the tenure track professor job she's about to start. It does not, however, mean she has fewer responsibilities; she's, in fact, way more stressed. (I guess be careful how you phrase your wishes, even if it's just in your head, because supernatural wish granters are very literal and bureaucratic.) The process of trying to solve this problem leads Catherine to (eventually) rethink her priorities and assumptions and also brings Catherine and Luca together. (Because Luca is basically a wonderful human, without a ton of depth or any growth, so of course he helps.)

I had a few nitpicks: the structure of her academic department isn't accurate (a professor wouldn't have a singular "boss", or person in charge of hiring decisions, and deans are at the college level, not department. This really doesn't matter in this book, but my brain just rigidly refuses to ignore things like this.); and it felt like leaning into stereotypes of Italian Americans a bit with Luca's family, but they were all likable, so it didn't feel offensive. There were a few things in the plot (which I can't describe, because spoilers) that seemed like they were supposed to be surprises, but I figured out pretty early on. But, maybe they were just supposed to be surprises for the characters and not the readers. Finally, this was really Catherine's book, and you could argue that it's more about her growth than it is about her relationship with Luca, so it's not the most romance-y of romances (although we definitely like Luca and are routing for their HEA!)

Spice level: 🔥🔥 (There was some kissing, and it was hinted that they spent the night together with no elaboration on what happened.)

Thanks to Forever publishing for providing a free advanced reader copy to me via NetGalley for my honest review.

I really enjoyed The Second Chance Year and so I was very excited to dive into this ARC. However, this book was not as fun as I thought it would be. None of the comedic moments hit and and I had hard time relating to the FMC. The romance was also very bland. I couldn’t feel the chemistry between Luca and Catherine. We honestly don’t even get to know that much about Luca until the end of the story and he ended up just coming off as one-dimensional. All in all, this book was fine. I didn’t hate it or love it, but I don’t see myself remembering much about it in a few weeks.

*** I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***

Catherine's life has been shaped by the shadow of her unreliable and irresponsible father, driving her to become overly dependable and meticulous. Growing up, she learned to trust only herself, striving for perfection in every aspect of her life. She excelled academically, graduated with honors, and secured her dream job. Yet, her carefully constructed world collapses when she literally loses her identity. What Catherine doesn't initially grasp is that she lost her sense of self long before this incident. In her pursuit of flawlessness, she forgot how to be herself.

Enter Luca, the doorman whose unconventional approach both frustrates and fascinates Catherine. As sparks ignite between them, Luca becomes a pivotal figure in her journey to rediscover her identity, both in the practical sense and on a deeper, more personal level. Luca, with his refreshing outlook on life, challenges Catherine to break free from her rigid routines and embrace the joy of living. However, Catherine is torn, fearing that Luca's free-spirited nature might echo the very traits of unreliability and irresponsibility she associates with her father.

From the moment I started reading, I was drawn into Catherine’s world. Her anxiety and struggles resonated deeply, written with such vividness that they felt almost palpable. The narrative is not only captivating but also cleverly explores the nuances of identity and self-discovery. Luca’s character is an absolute gem. His kindness, especially in the way he understands and supports Catherine’s anxiety from the outset, adds a layer of sweetness that is truly endearing.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing an advance reader copy (eARC). It was a pleasure to delve into this beautifully crafted story!

This is such a cute book! I wasn’t sure what to expect based on the description, but it ended up being the perfect easy romance read. My chronically punctual self felt so much anxiety for the FMC, but the ending made it all worth it!

Thank you to Forever publishing for the ARC of the book. This was a super sweet one and I truly enjoyed it! You would like this one if you like a low spice, opposites attract romance with some self discovery thrown in! Also, there is just a touch of magic too.

Catherine is a math professor who has just landed her dream tenure track position. She loves order and predictability probably due to the fact that she has a rather chaotic childhood. Her dad, who loves her very much, is a circus performer who didn't consistently keep them in an apartment and her mom was completely absent. Catherine has recently moved into her own apartment and the quirky doorman Luca drives her crazy. When sending all of the necessary paperwork in for her new job, she discovers that all of her government documentation is forged and that there is actually no record of her life at all. She then goes on a mission to try and track down her bieth certificate so she can start her new job in time. Luca, the doorman, ends up helping and he enlists his crazy Italian family to help. The relationship between Catherine and Luca was a fun one to follow and all of the hijinks they get into were enjoyable as well. I would recommend this one!

My first opposites attract story and it did not disappoint! I definitely had tears falling down my face- good tears of course!

I absolutely adored this sweet opposites attract romance. This was my first book by Melissa Wiesner but I will be picking up more, I found the writing to be very engaging and it was a quick fun read.

Catherine always needs everything to be perfectly in place, organized, and absurdly early for every meeting she is about to begin her dream job as a mathematics professor. Luca is the doorman at her building and cares more for the people in his life, including all the elderly residents, than he cares for following rules. When Catherine’s identity seems to disappear Luca helps her restore it.

I loved watching Catherine develop through the book as she and Luca got closer and she saw how important he was to the community and the residents, how what she had seen as being unreliable was really him caring more for the individual. I thought it was both sweet and funny with just enough romance. The situations with the various Morellis were funny as well as the hints of how different Catherine’s upbringing was to how she is now. I generally struggle when there are paranormal elements in a book but I loved the addition here.

She’s done it again, ladies & gentlemen. Another brilliant, emotional & magical story—my favorite kind ✨
From the moment I saw this ARC was available for requests on NetGalley I did a happy dance and celebrated the fact I didn’t have to wait until October.

Catherine thinks she has everything under control—she finally moved in on her own after growing up moving around a lot with her single dad, and she was offered the dream job as a math professor. Until she shows up for orientation day, and finds out her whole identity disappeared. Just like that. There are absolutely no records of her ever…existing.

Thankfully, she’s not on her own, and teams up with her handsome doorman, Luca, and his family (they are everywhere, literally), and they all start the long, confusing, mysterious & most fun journey of her life, in the hopes of recovering Catherine’s identity. Little did she know she would find a lot more than that…

I was hooked from the very beginning and simply couldn’t put it down! I love the author’s writing. If you’ve read her previous book, The Second Chance Year, you won’t want to miss this one! This book was everything!

Thanks NetGalley & Forever Grand Central Publishing for this ARC!

It kind of reminded me of a Hallmark movie. It was interesting to know how she lost her identity and would recommend

I loved this book! It was great! I can’t say enough good things! Pick this one up as soon as possible!

Growing up with an unreliable and irresponsible father has forced Catherine to be reliable and responsible to a fault. She realized at a young age she could only rely on herself, and she made sure she did everything right. She got straight A’s in high school, got her degree, and landed her dream job. But her facade comes tumbling down when Catherine loses her identity. Literally. What Catherine doesn’t realize is that she lost herself years ago. Figuratively. In trying to be perfect she forgot how to be herself. Sparks fly between her and door man Luca, though his unconventional methods irk Catherine. Together they work together to find Catherine’s identity, both literally and figuratively. Luca is the breath of fresh air Catherine needs to be more grounded, but is there room in her life for someone less than perfect?

I was instantly sucked into Catherine’s world and could feel her anxiety and pain as if it were my own. The story was written so captivatingly and the messaging was quite clever. I just adored Luca. The way he cared for the people in the building and saw Catherine’s anxiety so clearly from the beginning was just so sweet. I think my only complaint is the ending seems to give Cat’s dad a pass, but her childhood was still traumatic. Regardless of some of the good things he did. I think a little more accountability for her Dad would’ve been nice. You can give someone grace while still acknowledging the mistakes. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. It was a pleasure to read!

I loved everything about this opposites attract romance! Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa Weisner and Forever for giving me early access to this. I never wanted it to end.

This unexpected, opposites attract romance has the perfect about of sweet and heat. I adored this book, I kept trying to stop myself reading fast because I didn’t want it to end but equally I had to know what was going to happen next. The writing style is light and witty. There was such a great mix of characters.

Catherine and Luca are the main characters, but as with real life, it’s never straightforward, and we can find our life taking a completely different route to the one we had planned or expected. That life’s complexities make us realise we never know what can happen. I could gush about this book all day, every day. It’s one of my top favorite romcoms, and Melissa Wiesner is now a firm favorite author.

A massive thank you to NetGalley & Melissa for the arc ebook. It was a pure joy to read.

“Sometimes I wish I could just…I don’t know. Be someone else.”

Catherine Moonstone Lipton lives to regret those off-handed words she uttered.

Doctor Lipton has just earned her dream job as a mathematics professor, a tenure-track listing, when she discovers that issues with her paperwork may mean that she has to give up the position.

I was caught up in a compelling story and an examination what we do when we discover we’ve been the recipient of a lie of omission. What if that lie lead to a missing identity? How do we go about discovering the truth about ourselves? How do we transition from a ‘nobody’ to a ‘somebody’? I was swept away pondering the power of making wishes and the possibility of the universe allowing you to actualize them. I loved how the author spun this to be read as an opportunity instead of a tragedy and how a single choice can lead us to a new life.

In addition to examining our identity, the author also investigates the importance of community. I loved the setting of DeGreco and mused many times that this book would make a great movie; I could imagine the dancing scene and the trouser-changing scene vividly! Wiesner also highlights found family and nature versus nature. I took note of how the elderly chose to live out their golden years and was inspired. I also was thankful for the reminder to dig deep and discover our loved ones’ love language.

This magical and hopeful romance features some great characters and will be a great addition to your Fall reading list!

I was gifted this copy by Forever, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.